West Virginia To Offer Blockchain Voting

All troops from West Virginia who are overseas will potentially be the first in the United States to use Blockchain technology when casting their ballots for the midterm elections.

Blockchain To Be Used In Midterm Elections

The Secretary of State for West Virginia, Mac Warner, had previously stated that they would implement voting via the Blockchain voting app statewide should the pilot be successful. The pilot testing of the app was carried out in May, with the main participants being the military staff from the counties of Harrison and Monongalia, and their dependents.

Mac Warner and the company which has developed the Blockchain voting app, Voatz, have insisted that as a voting tool the app is very secure and virtually tamper proof. Voatz has stated that the app essentially encodes the ballot information and then stores it in a decentralized network which ensures the secure encryption and fast transaction of the voting process.

How The Blockchain Voting App Works

First, the voter must upload a picture of their government-issued identification and a video of their face. The app’s facial recognition software then assures that the uploaded video and pictures are of the same person. Once the app approves the uploaded information, the voter can then proceed to cast their votes.

The information is then encrypted and made anonymous after which it is then recorded and stored on the Blockchain ledger.

West Virginia has announced that it may be limiting the use of the voting Blockchain platform only to troops who are abroad serving the country, saying that if there is anyone more deserving of the opportunity to vote is the men and women who are putting their lives on the line for the country.

The testing of the Blockchain voting application was initially carried out in two counties, through funding by the Tusk Montgomery Philanthropies. It was then revealed that the auditing of the platform, which also covered its connectivity and Blockchain infrastructure, did not reveal any problems.

Warner has stated that the state is not looking to permanently replace the traditional ballot process, reiterating that the troops could revert to paper ballots if it was their preference. The Deputy Chief of Staff, Michael L. Queen, has said that the final decision on whether or not the app will be used will be left for each county to decide.

Warner’s Push For A More Secure Election And Voting Process

Warner has been in the forefront in pushing for increased security in the voting process. His efforts have even earned him praise from the Department of Homeland Security. Warner has been seeking for the department’s help in the mitigation of election meddling by asking the department to share any information relating to the voting and election process. He has also extended this plea to the National Guard.

The November poll will be the perfect opportunity for the country to see just how effective the Blockchain voting platform will be and how well it will perform. Supporters and skeptics alike will be tuned.